Method, system and medium for controlling semiconductor wafer processes using critical dimension measurements
First Claim
1. A method of processing a plurality of wafers for manufacturing semiconductor devices, the method sequentially comprising:
- (a) measuring at least one critical dimension of at least one device fabricated on at least one of the plurality of wafers by a metrology tool of an implant-annealing process module before the at least one of the plurality of wafers has been processed in at least one implant or annealing processing tool of the implant-annealing process module, wherein a variation in the at least one critical dimension causes a variation in performance of the at least one device;
(b) determining at least one control parameter value of the at least one implant or annealing processing tool based on the measured at least one critical dimension, wherein the at least one control parameter value is selected from the group that consists of a halo angle, a Source Drain-Extension (SDE) dose level, an energy and tilt level, a pocket implant dose level, and a channel and channel VT adjust implant dose level;
(c) controlling the at least one implant or annealing processing tool of the implant-annealing process module to process the at least one of the plurality of wafers based on the at least one control parameter value;
(d) measuring at least one post process dimension of the at least one of the plurality of wafers after step (c), wherein the measured at least one post process dimension is different than the measured at least one critical dimension;
(e) determining whether the measured at least one post process dimension is within a first predetermined range; and
(f) adjusting the at least one implant or annealing processing tool of the implant-annealing process module upon determining that the measured at least one post process dimension is not within the first predetermined range.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Methods, systems, and mediums of controlling a semiconductor manufacturing process are described. The method comprises the steps of measuring at least one critical dimension of at least one device being fabricated on at least one of the plurality of wafers, determining at least one process parameter value on the at least one measured dimension, and controlling at least one semiconductor manufacturing tool to process the at least one of the plurality of wafers based on the at least one parameter value. A variation in the at least one critical dimension causes undesirable variations in performance of the at least one device, and at least one process condition is directed to controlling the processing performed on the plurality of wafers. The at least one manufacturing tool includes at least one of an implanter tool and an annealing tool.
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Citations
44 Claims
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1. A method of processing a plurality of wafers for manufacturing semiconductor devices, the method sequentially comprising:
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(a) measuring at least one critical dimension of at least one device fabricated on at least one of the plurality of wafers by a metrology tool of an implant-annealing process module before the at least one of the plurality of wafers has been processed in at least one implant or annealing processing tool of the implant-annealing process module, wherein a variation in the at least one critical dimension causes a variation in performance of the at least one device; (b) determining at least one control parameter value of the at least one implant or annealing processing tool based on the measured at least one critical dimension, wherein the at least one control parameter value is selected from the group that consists of a halo angle, a Source Drain-Extension (SDE) dose level, an energy and tilt level, a pocket implant dose level, and a channel and channel VT adjust implant dose level; (c) controlling the at least one implant or annealing processing tool of the implant-annealing process module to process the at least one of the plurality of wafers based on the at least one control parameter value; (d) measuring at least one post process dimension of the at least one of the plurality of wafers after step (c), wherein the measured at least one post process dimension is different than the measured at least one critical dimension; (e) determining whether the measured at least one post process dimension is within a first predetermined range; and (f) adjusting the at least one implant or annealing processing tool of the implant-annealing process module upon determining that the measured at least one post process dimension is not within the first predetermined range. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. An implant-annealing process module comprising:
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a first metrology tool configured to measure at least one critical dimension of at least one device fabricated on at least one of a plurality of wafers before the at least one of the plurality of wafers is processed by at least one implant or annealing processing tool of the implant-annealing process module, wherein a variation in the at least one critical dimension causes a variation in performance of the at least one device; a module controller configured to determine at least one control parameter value of the implant or annealing processing tool based on the measured at least one critical dimension, wherein the at least one implant or annealing processing tool of the implant-annealing process module is configured to be controlled by the module controller in processing the at least one of the plurality of wafers based on the at least one control parameter value and wherein the at least one control parameter value determined by the module controller is selected from the group that consists of a halo angle, a Source Drain-Extension (SDE) dose level, an enemy and tilt level, a pocket implant dose level, and a channel and channel VT adjust implant dose level; and a second metrology tool configured to measure at least one post process dimension of the at least one of the plurality of wafers, wherein the at least one post process dimension is different from the at least one critical dimension and wherein the module controller is further configured to determine whether the measured at least one post process dimension is within a first predetermined range and the module controller is further configured to adjust the at least one implant or annealing processing tool of the implant-annealing process module upon determining that the measured at least one post process dimension is not within the first predetermined range. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A system of processing a plurality of wafers for manufacturing semiconductor devices, comprising:
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means for forming at least one critical dimension on at least one device being fabricated on at least one of the plurality of wafers; means for measuring the at least one critical dimension of the at least one device being fabricated on the at least one of the plurality of wafers after the at least one critical dimension has been formed, wherein the means for measuring the at least one critical dimension is in an implant-annealing process module and before the at least one of the plurality of wafers is processed by at least one implant or annealing processing tool of the implant-annealing process module, wherein a variation in the at least one critical dimension causes a variation in performance of the at least one device; means for determining at least one control parameter value of the at least one implant or annealing processing tool based on the measured at least one critical dimension, wherein the at least one control parameter value is selected from the group that consists of a halo angle, a Source Drain-Extension (SDE) dose level, an energy and tilt level, a pocket implant dose level, and a channel and channel VT adjust implant dose level; means for controlling the at least one implant or annealing processing tool of the implant-annealing process module to process the at least one of the plurality of wafers based on the at least one control parameter value; means for measuring at least one post process dimension of the at least one of the plurality of wafers, wherein the at least one post process dimension is junction depth and is different from the at least one critical dimension; means for determining whether the measured at least one post process dimension is within a first predetermined range; and means for sending the at least one of the plurality of wafers to a next processing tool upon determining that the measured at least one post process dimension is within the first predetermined range. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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31. A computer-readable medium including instructions being executed by one or more computers, the instructions instructing the one or more computers and at least one metrology tool of an implant-annealing process module and at least one implant or annealing processing tool of the implant-annealing process module for processing a plurality of wafers for manufacturing semiconductor devices, the instructions comprising implementation of the sequential steps of:
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(a) measuring at least one critical dimension of at least one device fabricated on at least one of the plurality of wafers by one of the at least one metrology tool of the implant-annealing process module, wherein a variation in the at least one critical dimension causes a variation in performance of the at least one device; (b) determining at least one control parameter value of the at least one implant or annealing processing tool based on the measured at least one critical dimensions wherein the at least one control parameter value is selected from the group that consists of a halo angle, a Source Drain-Extension (SDE) dose level, an enemy and tilt level, a pocket implant dose level, and a channel and channel VT adjust implant dose level; (c) controlling the at least one implant or annealing processing tool of the implant-annealing process module to process the at least one of the plurality of wafers based on the at least one control parameter value; (d) measuring at least one post process dimensions of the at least one of the plurality of wafers by one of the at least one metrology tool of the implant-annealing process module, wherein the at least one post process dimension is junction depth and is different from the at least one critical dimension; and (e) determining whether the measured at least one post process dimension is within a first predetermined range. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40)
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41. A method of processing a plurality of wafers for manufacturing semiconductor devices, sequentially comprising:
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(a) measuring at least one critical dimension of at least one device fabricated on at least one of the plurality of wafers by one of the at least one metrology tool of an implant-annealing process module, wherein a variation in the at least one critical dimension causes a variation in performance of the at least one device; (b) determining at least one control parameter value of at least one implant or annealing processing tool of the implant-annealing process module based on the measured at least one critical dimension, wherein the at least one control parameter value is selected from the group that consists of a halo angle, a Source Drain-Extension (SDE) dose level, an enemy and tilt level, a pocket implant dose level, and a channel and channel VT adjust implant dose level; (c) controlling the at least one implant or annealing processing tool of the implant-annealing process module to process the at least one of the plurality of wafers based on the at least one control parameter value; (d) measuring at least one post process dimension of the at least one of the plurality of wafers by one of the at least one metrology tool of the implant-annealing process module, wherein the at least one post process dimension is junction depth and is different from the at least one critical dimension; (e) determining whether the measured at least one post process dimension is within a first predetermined range; (f) sending the at least one of the plurality of wafers to a next processing tool upon determining that the measured at least one post process dimension is within the first predetermined range; and (g) adjusting the at least one implant or annealing processing tool upon determining that the measured at least one post process dimension is not within the first predetermined range, to thereby reduce deviation in gate delay.
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42. A method of processing a plurality of wafers for manufacturing semiconductor devices, sequentially comprising:
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(a) measuring at least one critical dimension of at least one device fabricated on at least one of the plurality of wafers by one of the at least one metrology tool of an implant-annealing process module, wherein a variation in the at least one critical dimension causes a variation in performance of the at least one device; (b) determining at least one control parameter value of at least one implant or annealing processing tool of the implant-annealing process module based on the measured at least one critical dimension, wherein the at least one control parameter value is selected from the group that consists of a halo angle, a Source Drain-Extension (SDE) dose level, an enemy and tilt level, a pocket implant dose level, and a channel and channel VT adjust implant dose level; (c) controlling the at least one implant or annealing processing tool of the implant-annealing process module to process the at least one of the plurality of wafers based on the at least one control parameter value; (d) measuring at least one post process dimension of the at least one of the plurality of wafers by one of the at least one metrology tool of the implant-annealing process module, wherein the at least one post process dimension is junction depth and is different from the at least one critical dimension; (e) determining whether the measured at least one post process dimension is within a first predetermined range; and (f) re-processing the at least one of the plurality of wafers when the measured at least one post process dimension is not within the first predetermined range, to thereby reduce deviation in gate delay.
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43. A semiconductor wafer processing system comprising:
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a first metrology tool, of an implant-annealing process module, configured to measure at least one critical dimension of at least one device fabricated on at least one of a plurality of wafers, wherein a variation in the at least one critical dimension causes a variation in performance of the at least one device; a module controller configured to determine at least one control parameter value based on the measured at least one critical dimension, wherein the at least one control parameter value is selected from the group that consists of a halo angle, a Source Drain-Extension (SDE) dose level, an energy and tilt level, a pocket implant dose level, and a channel and channel VT adjust implant dose level; at least one implant or annealing processing tool, of the implant-annealing process module, configured to be controlled by the module controller in processing the at least one of the plurality of wafers based on the at least one control parameter value; and a second metrology tool, of the implant-annealing process module, configured to measure at least one post process dimension of the at least one of the plurality of wafers, wherein the at least one post process dimension is junction depth and is different from the at least one critical dimension; wherein the module controller is further configured to determine whether the measured at least one post process dimension is within a first predetermined range, configured to cause the at least one of the plurality of wafers to be sent to a next processing tool upon determining that the measured at least one post process dimension is within the first predetermined range, and configured to adjust the at least one implant or annealing processing tool, of the implant-annealing process module, upon determining that the measured at least one post process dimension is not within the first predetermined range, to thereby reduce deviation in gate delay.
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44. A semiconductor wafer processing system comprising:
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a first metrology tool, of an implant-annealing process module, configured to measure at least one critical dimension of at least one device fabricated on at least one of a plurality of wafers, wherein a variation in the at least one critical dimension causes a variation in performance of the at least one device; a module controller configured to determine at least one control parameter value based on the measured at least one critical dimension wherein the at least one control parameter value is selected from the group that consists of a halo angle, a Source Drain-Extension (SDE) dose level, an energy and tilt level, a pocket implant dose level, and a channel and channel VT adjust implant dose level; and a first implant or annealing processing tool, of an implant-annealing process module, configured to be controlled by the module controller in processing the at least one of the plurality of wafers based on the at least one control parameter value, wherein the module controller is further configured to collect measurement of at least one post process dimension of the at least one of a plurality of wafers, wherein the at least one post process dimension is junction depth and is different from the at least one critical dimension, configured to determine whether or not the measured at least one post process dimension is within a first predetermined range, and configured to adjust the at least one parameter value to re-process the one of at least one of the plurality of wafers when the measured at least one post process dimension is not within the first predetermined range to thereby reduce deviation in gate delay.
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Specification